Monday, October 26, 2009

~First, I need to say that the law of YHWH was never designed to save anyone. It is by the grace of Yahshua, the Messiah (Jesus Christ) that we (those who turn from breaking the law) are saved. The Messiah's death on the cross did NOT abolish one jot or tittle from the law (Matthew 5:17-18). It did NOT give us permission to sin (sin is transgression of the law). In fact, you can't have grace without the law! If there is no law, then there would be no grace. If Yahushua abolished the law, there would be no more sin (sin is transgression of the law). If there is no more sin, we would not need "grace". Here is an analogy:~Lets say you are visiting a friend in an unfamiliar city. You are driving at 55mph and pass through a school zone sign while looking for your friend's street. You continue to go 55 in a 25mph zone. You get pulled over and ticketed.

You appear before the judge. The judge looks at the law and finds you guilty of breaking the law.Then your friend (who happens to be the judge's son) steps in and says, "Judge, I know my friend broke the law. He knows he broke the law. He was new to the area and was ignorant of the law. He assures me that he will be more careful to watch for the speed limit signs in the future. Let me give grace to my friend and pay his fine for him". And so, your friend pulls out his wallet and pays the court $200.00.~This is similar to what the Messiah did at the cross. He did not abolish the law. He paid the penalty for breaking the law.~Now, lets say you are visiting the same friend and you now think that since your friend is the judge's son and he got you out of paying the ticket the first time that the law in that town does not apply to you. You think that you can speed as much as you want. Do you think the son will continue to pay your fines?~What if you appeared before the same judge for the 6th time and you said something like, "yes, I broke the law, but this law must not apply to me because I always break it and never have to pay a dime." Do you think the judge will let his son continue to pay the fines for you? Do you think because you know the judge's son, that you are above the law no matter what or that the law does not apply to you? (The penalty being of having to appear before the judge and the judge continually fining you should prove that the law does apply to you. Also, the fact that the Judge's son continually has to pay your fine should also prove to you that the law still applies to you).~Romans 6:14-15For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.What then? shall we sin (transgress the law), because we are not under the law, but under grace? YHWH forbid.~So, What does Paul mean, "We are not under the Law?~Romans 6:14-15For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.What then? shall we sin (transgress the law), because we are not under the law, but under grace? YHWH forbid.~When Paul says things like "we are not under the law, but under grace". He is not saying that the law does not apply. Notice the word "but" used here. "But" means, "on the contrary".~Finish these statements:I'm not cold, but ___________.I'm not poor, but ___________.I'm not healthy, but _________.~If I said, "I am not cold, but hot", that would make sense. If I said, "I am not cold, but rich", that would not make sense. What ever I say after "but" has to be contrary to the first part of my statement.~Is "grace" contrary to "law"? NO! "Grace" is the same as "mercy" or "pardon". Just as the analogy of the speeder having his ticket paid for, "grace" was the time where the son paid the fine. "Grace" is not contrary to "Law"! "Grace" is contrary to "Penalty of the law"! In the above verse, "under the law" is the same thing as being under the penalty of the law (sin having dominion over someone).~Romans 3:31Do we then make void the law through faith? YHWH forbid: yea, we establish the law.~When I found out that there were some 'cults' running around keeping the law of YHWH, I wanted to prove through the bible why they were wrong ("Prove all things" 1 Thessalonians 5:21) So I bought several speckled notebooks and titled them with things like, "Is the Sabbath for Today?" "Is Tithing for today?", "Is the law abolished?" etc. I then started in Matthew and read the gospels and started to write down all the verses for or against those topics. I found that that the Messiah was undoubtedly pro-law. Then I got to Acts, and saw that the disciples were still keeping the law after Jesus died on the cross. Then I got to Romans and after the first couple of chapters I was convinced that Paul too was pro-law. Then I started reading further and it appeared that Paul was against the law (contrasting his statements in Romans 2 and in Acts). Then later I saw verses from him that were pro-law again. After I got through Romans, I was honestly beginning to think Paul was a little schizo. It wasn't until I got to Peter that I realized why I couldn't understand Paul.~Peter says that Paul’s epistles are hard to understand for those who don’t know the scriptures (at the time I was researching this topic, I, like most Christians, was very ignorant of the law and the Old Testament).~2 Peter 3:16-17as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;~The word translated “wicked” is the Greek word “athesmos” which means lawless or one who breaks the law. Here is Strong’s only definition:1) one who breaks through the restraint of law and gratifies his lustsSo Peter here is saying, Paul’s epistles are hard to understand for people who are untaught in the rest of the scriptures… (then right after he says)….Beware of the lawless.When reading Paul’s epistles, it sometimes appears that he is pro-law, and sometimes appears that he is anti-law. This is why the Jews were so confused about Paul’s writings. They even wanted to make sure Paul was still keeping the law and told Paul to prove that he still keeps the law by making offerings for some vows, which Paul did to show the Jews that he still kept the law (Acts 21:21-26).~Anyway since it is clear that Paul’s epistles are not clear and appear to go either way, how did I come to the conclusion that Paul was actually pro-law?~1. Peter says that it is hard for them to understand for those who don’t understand the rest of the scriptures. I have been to many Christian churches. I went to a Baptist church a while back. There was about 50 older adults there (average age probably 45). When my dad said that there were other Sabbaths besides the weekly Sabbath not one of them knew that. When I made a few other comments about the law, not one of them had a clue what I was talking about. Once, I was talking to a Christian girl that been to church all her life (she was in her 20s) and she didn’t know who Abraham was. Just recently, I was talking to a woman (about 47 years old) she has been going to church almost all her life. She didn’t know that David came after Moses. I would easily say that they do not know “the rest of the scriptures”. But they think they know Paul. They will quote real fast, “we are not under the law but under grace”. But Peter says that it is hard for those who don’t know the rest of the scriptures. Just go to any Christian chat room that allows a multitude of people from a multitude of religions and see which ones know the OT better. Or start going to a Baptist or Pentecostal or Catholic Church (pick one…I haven’t found one that knows much of the Old Testament). Even though I trust no one and I am not affiliated with any church, if I knew no scripture but just this one verse from Peter and I had to blindly pick who had the correct interpretation of Paul’s epistles by looking at Peter’s comments, I would have to pick the people who know the law and the OT.~Plus, right after Peter says “his epistles are hard to understand…” he says, “beware of the lawless”. Hmmm…looks like he wanted us to beware of the ones that broke the law.~Plus, show me in the “rest of the scriptures” (the OT) where the law was going to be abolished before the millennium reign. (The “rest of the scriptures” does say over and over and over again that the law is forever .)~2. Paul’s Pro-law scriptures are very solid. Just take the first 2 chapters of Romans for example. While some of the verses that appear to be anti-law are “difficult to understand”, they can be explained MUCH easier than the very solid scriptures that are pro-law.~3. Yahushua's comments, YHWH’s words from the OT, and basically the rest of the scriptures would be impossible to ignore.~4. The Acts of the Apostles would be impossible to ignore (it is like Paul would be preaching one thing, but doing another)~5. The actions of Yahushua which is a very productive way of teaching and Yahushua lead his life as an example (1 Peter 2:21). Yahushua kept all the commandments (including the Sabbaths and Holy Days).~6. People that knew the law, loved the law. The scriptures talk about how wise and great the law is and how other nations would look upon the wise law and wonder how they got such a great and wise law.~7. The law makes sense. It doesn’t make sense to abolish a law like a law that separates Lepers from healthy people. I do believe that YHWH has a reason for every law (even if we can’t figure the reason out).~8. Also, it doesn’t make sense for any lawmaker to make a law, and then when his son lives his life with out breaking the law, for that law to be abolished. If G.W.Bush was king and he had a son that died at 33, without a criminal offense, would that be your defense in court for breaking the law? Would you say, “Your Honor, this law was fulfilled by G.W. Bush’s son; therefore the law no longer applies to me”. That makes much less sense to me than going in front of the Judge and saying, “Yes, I have broken the law, and I have repented” and then the son of the King steps in and pays your fine. (Paying one’s penalty for a crime proves that the law is in place).~9. There is no NT law. Some just count all the laws mentioned in the NT and say that these are our new laws. For one, who made up that rule? Does it make sense to say that the King’s son has to repeat all the law for it to stay in effect? And since the NT was not put together until many years after Yahushua’s death (and canonized much later than that) what laws would be in place until one could get access to the whole NT? (These same people who claim to just count the NT laws usually over look the command to keep Passover 1 Cor 5:7-8 not to mention the instructions of Yahushua)~10. It does not make since for YHWH to establish a law, then abolish it, then re-establish it again [like the feast of Tabernacles (Zec 14:16-19) and the Sabbath (Isaiah 66:23)].~11. The feasts and Sabbaths were set up to point to Ha Mashiach and his redemption plan of YHWH’s people. Since Ha Mashiach has not fulfilled all these feasts and the shadow of the Sabbath, it does not make since for His people to stop practicing these. Also, we were told to keep the Passover in 1 Cor 5:7-8 and in Luke 22:19 and 1 Corinthians 11:24-25.~12. If YHWH’s law is abolished, then why are we and all the other nations having so many curses? How can someone suffer the penalty for breaking the speed limit (a traffic ticket) if the speed limit no longer applied? The fact that someone can suffer the penalty for breaking a law proves that the law applies to that person (Do you think that it is possible that the reason why our farmland's topsoil is depleting is because we do not practice the land sabbath or the reason why our money is becoming more and more worthless is because we are using "unjust weights and measures" or the reason why we have so much evil, crime, and fear of terrorism in our country is because we do not enforce YHWH's laws?).~from biblelaw101.com~Blessings,Amanda

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

I haven't posted lately since we have been trying to sell our rv. We thought Yahweh (the Lord) wanted us to get rid of it soon, but it hasn't happened yet. So, we are just going to keep it until he sends the right family.

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We are enjoying the summer to the fullest extent. Our garden is thriving. We have gotten so much fresh food and are still getting plenty. Some nights for dinner, we just eat fresh veggies from the garden with no meat. Fried okra, beans or peas, squash, creamed potatoes and sliced tomatoes. We are so blessed to be able to use the land Yahweh gave us to produce food on.

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The children have been enjoying the pool mostly. Having a pool provides a way for us to enjoy the water without going to a public place and having to put up with seeing half naked people. Yahweh knew what He was doing when he planned out and executed those plans in our lives. We are more blessed than we ever thought we could be.

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Since we are keeping the rv, we decided to take on a couple more children to babysit. I do enjoy my babysitting children greatly. Parker (a little 4 year old we babysit) has come a long way in the last couple years. My prayer is that Yahweh brings me the children He wants me to have to keep.

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We are learning about sharks and other sea animals. Parker and Jedidiyah love to learn about animals. So, why not teach them what they like to learn about? That's the way we feel about it. I will post pictures of their craft projects as soon as we're done with them.

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I am sorry to be jumping from one thing to the other. I have missed posting on my blog and am glad to be able to get back to it.

I hope to be able to get a new article posted by tomorrow. I also have some pictures of our produce to post. I have to get dinner laid out and laundry hung out first.

We all know that lemons make great lemonade, but did you know there are numerous other uses for them?Try these ideas the next time you have any extra lemons!

1.Remove ink spots from clothing.While ink is still wet, apply lemon juice liberally to the spot.Wash the garment in normal cycle with regular laundry detergent in cold water.

2.Get rid of dandruff.Shampoo hair, then rinse with water.Mix two tablespoons of lemon juice and 2 cups of water; pour through hair.Repeat every other day until dandruff disappears.

3.Deodorize a cutting board.Wash with lemon juice to rid a cutting board of the smell of garlic, onions, or fish.

4.Remove berry stains from hands.Rinse hands in the juice of fresh lemons.

5.Remove rust and mineral discolorations on cotton clothing.Use one cup of lemon juice in the washer.

6.Clean your microwave.Add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice to one cup water in a microwave-safe four cup bowl.Boil for five minutes in the microwave, allowing the steam to condense on the inside walls of the over.Then wipe clean.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Prayer~Lord of all pots and pans andtins, since I've not time to beA saint by doing lovely things,or watching late with Thee,Or dreaming in the twilight, orstorming heaven's gates,Make me a saint by getting mealsand washing up the plates.~Although I must have Martha'shands, I have a Mary mind;And when I black the boots andshoes, Thy sandals, Lord, Ifind;I think of how Thou trod theearth, each time I scrub thefloor;Accept this meditation, Lord,I haven't time for more.~Warm all the kitchen with Thylove and light it with Thypeace;Forgive me all my worrying andmake all grumbling cease;Thou who didst love to give menfood ---in room or by the sea ---Accept this service that I do,I do it unto Thee.

* Spray all doorknobs, light switches and knobs and wipe down. I used straightvinegar in a spray bottle with several drops of lavender shaken in. You can usealcohol, peroxide (more below) or a spray of tea tree oil and distilled water.

* Dissolve Borax in clean water and wipe down doorways, appliance handles, wipedown surfaces, and mop the floors.

* Adding tea tree oil, lavender, or eucalyptus oil in my laundry. I add a few toseveral drops as the machine is filling with water.

I'm sure there is lots more but these are some basics I am doing around here.

Another thing:I already wash my hands so much I have to keep lotion around and now that I'mdoing that even more, I need more. I've started rubbing a small piece of coconutoil on my hands and between my fingers. Instant softness!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

We are seekers of truth who are trying to get back to the true and righteous path that has been lost over generations of tradition and corruption. We do not claim to have all the truth, but we are endeavoring to obey the truth that we have learned so that we might be given more truth. Please consider these words.

“Thy Word Is Truth” (John 17:17b)

First and foremost, in our search for truth we have concluded that the scriptures (commonly called the Christian Bible) contain the truth that we must be seeking.

“...Cursed is the man who trusts in man…”(Jeremiah 17:5)

Though there are many different beliefs among those who claim to follow the scriptures, what would happen if someone set aside thousands of years of tradition, corruption and watered down faith, and just went straight to scripture as their source of truth?

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.” (Mt 10:28)

What if this same person decided that they were not going to care what people thought of them if they found something that was quite unusual or out of the mainstream? This has been our endeavor and we would like to share it with you. We have found many things in Scripture that are not normally accepted. But first:

Salvation

“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9)

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:18)

We absolutely do believe that we have all sinned and are in need of salvation through the Messiah. Without Him, we are lost and without hope.

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” 1 John 2:6

He is the sure foundation and rock of our salvation. He sets the example that we must follow.

“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” (Matthew 28:18b)

Because all power in heaven and earth has been given to Him, He is worthy of our praise and honor . Any efforts of love / obedience on our part are in response to the Father’s love for us in giving us His Son.

Truthful Names

“I am Yahweh, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

One false tradition we have discovered is the removal of the Heavenly Father’s name from scripture, and the use of a man-made substitute, “the Lord”. It is simple historical fact that this has happened:

“Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, his name being revealed to Moses as four Hebrew consonants (YHWH) called the tetragrammaton, after the exile (6th Century BC), and especially from the 3rd century BC on, Jews ceased to use the name Yahweh for two reasons. As Judaism became a universal religion through its proselytizing in the Greco-Roman world, the more common noun elohim, meaning "god," tended to replace Yahweh to demonstrate the universal sovereignty of Israel's God over all others. At the same time, the divine name was increasingly regarded as too sacred to be uttered; it was thus replaced vocally in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word Adonai ("My Lord"), which was translated as Kyrios ("Lord") in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament.” Encyclopedia Britannica, under the heading “Yahweh”.This tradition continues to this day. But nowhere in scripture do we find where it was Yahweh’s desire to replace His name with a title. In fact, His name is actually in scripture nearly 7,000 times, most often replaced with the title “Lord” in modern translations. While it is true that there are many titles that describe Him, He has only one personal name.

“That they may know that You, whose name alone is Yahweh, Are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18)

We have discovered that the Messiah’s name has also been changed from “Yahushua” to “Jesus”. The name Jesus is so modern that it isn’t even found in the original 1611 King James Bible, which contained no J’s (copy available upon request). The Messiah actually has the same name as “Joshua” (originally pronounced Yahushua), the son of Nun in the “Old Testament.” This is can be proven in your own King James Bible. Look up Hebrews 4:8 and Acts 7:45 and you will see that Joshua, the son of Nun is called “Jesus”! This is because everywhere “Joshua” (or more correctly Yahushua) was in the original text, the translators put “Jesus”. But is it all that important that we use the true names? Scripture says yes:

“Oh, give thanks to Yahweh! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!” (Psalm 105:1)

“And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of Yahweh shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32a)

“And in that day you will say: "Praise Yahweh, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.” (Isaiah 12:4)

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

“Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)

We are not saying that all who are unaware of this truth are lost, but as truth seekers we must be obedient to the truth that is revealed to us. As we can see from the above scriptures (and there are hundreds more!), it really is important. We must believe what His word says, in spite of this tradition. If it didn’t matter, Yahweh would not have put His name there in the first place. This may seem confusing at first, but they were there originally and we are not about to change them.

The Whole of Scripture

“It is time for thee, Yahweh, to work: for they have made void thy law.” (Psalm 119:126)

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Yahweh: for it is not subject to the law of Yahweh, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:6-7)

We are unlike Jews in mainstream Judaism who only believe in the “Old Testament” portion of scripture. We are unlike most Christians who only apply the “New Testament” portion of scripture to their life. We believe in the whole counsel of Yahweh. As the Messiah said:

“Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old." (Matthew 13:52)

Contrary to popular belief, there is not a single line of scripture to support the abolishment or taking away of Yahweh’s law in the “Old Testament.” In fact, we have found that new testament scriptures support the keeping of His law. The Messiah even warned us:

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-19

We have learned that fulfil means to “do”, not abolish or destroy. For instance, if we asked someone to bring us a glass of water and they did it, then they “fulfilled” what we asked them to do. “Fulfill” does not mean “abolish” or “destroy”. In fact, that would be a contradiction of what He just said (“Think not I am come to destroy the law”). Rather, we are told that whoever does and teaches “these commandments” within the law will “be called great in the kingdom of heaven”.

There are many other scriptures in the “New Testament” to support this. Here are a couple more:

“For not the hearers of the Law are just in the sight of Yahweh, but the doers of the Law will be justified” (Romans 2:12)

“Do we then make void the Law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the Law.” (Romans 3:31)

We believe in doing the law and establishing the law by faith. We discovered that the Law wasn’t just for the Jews. In fact, the Old Covenant isn’t “Jew only” any more than the New Covenant is:

“Behold, the days come, saith Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith Yahweh: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith Yahweh, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people.” (KJV, Jer. 31:31, Hebrews 8:8)

So scripture says that the New Testament/Covenant is also with Israel and Judah. In the New Covenant, His law is to be written in our hearts and minds. But how can we claim His law is in our hearts and minds if we are disobedient to it?

For these reasons and much more, we want to show our love toward Yahweh by desiring to keep His whole word. Just a few examples are: keeping the Sabbath on the original day (the 7th day, commonly called Saturday), turning our hearts to our children (Mal. 4:6), walking in “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance” (Gal. 5:22-23), women wearing head coverings (1 Cor. 11) and being keepers at home, and wearing tassels according to Numb. 15:38-40 and Deut. 22:12. In short, we believe that His word is true, His word is applicable, and His word is to be heeded, no matter what year it was written in.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yahweh, and the faith of Yahushua.

So we neither rest in the keeping of His commandments alone, nor believing in Yahushua alone. The truth is in both. Yahushua kept the whole law. What would Yahushua do (WWYD)? That is what we believe. That is what we seek. Come and seek with us! Feel free to ask questions. :)

My family and I pray this helps you understand our religion a little better.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Yahweh has appointed men as leaders in the home and in the church

After Adam and Eve had sinned, Yahweh appointed the husband as leader: "To the woman He said: 'I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you'" (Genesis 3:16).

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The husband is the head of the wife.

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"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to Yahweh. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Yahushua is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Yahushua, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything" (Ephesians 5:22-24).

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"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in Yahweh" (Colossians 3:18).

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"Likewise you wives, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear" (1 Peter 3:1,2).

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Both the husband and wife provide leadership for the children.

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"Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to Yahweh" (Colossians 3:20). "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth'" (Ephesians 6:1-3).

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"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Fathers are responsible for bringing up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord. This requires much wisdom and constant attention from birth until the child is grown.

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Bringing up children in the training and admonition of the Lord means that their upbringing must be according to the word of Yahweh. It also involves teaching children the Scriptures, not only in word, but even more importantly, by example.

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Timothy knew the Scriptures from childhood (2 Timothy 3:15). The genuine faith which first dwelt in his grandmother Lois and in his mother Eunice, was also in him (2 Timothy 1:5).

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Men have been appointed by Yahweh as leaders in the church.

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Yahushua, the Head of the church, is a man (1 Timothy 2:5). The twelve Apostles are men. Elders and deacons are men -- since they must be "the husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2,12).

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Providing leadership in the church is a grave responsibility. Paul told the elders at Ephesus: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of Elohim which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28). An elder must hold "fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). Peter wrote: "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Yahushua, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of Elohim which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'Elohim resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble'" (1 Peter 5:1-5).

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Older women teach younger women.

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"The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanders, not given to much wine, teachers of good things -- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of Elohim may not be blasphemed" (Titus 2:3-5).

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Some restrictions are placed on women.

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This is to substantiate Yahweh's appointment of men as leaders in the church.

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"Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression" (1 Timothy 2:11-14). "Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church" (1 Corinthians 14:34,35).

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We notice three specific restrictions which will be discussed individually: women are to remain silent in the assembly, they are not to teach men, and they are not to exercise authority over men.

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Women must remain silent in the assemblies.

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"Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church" (1 Corinthians 14:34,35). "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission" (1 Timothy 2:11).

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Since men are to lead, women may not teach or lead when men are present. To substantiate men's leadership role, and to avoid any misunderstanding, women are specifically commanded to be silent in the assembly.

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This does not apply to singing together, since in that case women are not exercising leadership or authority, but are following the brother who is leading the congregation. It would be wrong, however, for a woman to sing solo or to participate in leading the singing.

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Women are not permitted to teach men (1 Timothy 2:12).

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Again, this prohibition substantiates the leadership role Yahweh has assigned to men. Also outside the assembly, a woman is not to serve as a teacher of men. In an informal and submissive manner, women are free to participate in a mixed Bible study -- which is not viewed as an assembly -- but the study must be led by a man. This restriction is not violated when a woman teaches women or small children.

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This certainly does not mean that a man may never learn something from a woman! Apollos is an example of this. "Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the ways of Yahweh; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of Elohim more accurately" (Acts 18:24-26).

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Notice that they "took him aside" and notice that they "explained" the way of Elohim to him more accurately. These expressions depict a conversational situation.

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This passage is sometimes misapplied to appoint a woman, or a man and woman together, to lead a mixed Bible class. In the case of Apollos, however, there was not a teacher-student relationship.

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The example of Aquila and Priscilla does show that a Christian couple may invite a preacher into their home and explain the way of the Lord to him more accurately! Many preachers have benefited from such help!

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Women may not exercise authority over men.

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"And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man" (1 Timothy 2:12).

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Again, this restriction is simply a consequence of Yahweh's appointment of men to lead the church. Leadership is not limited to the assembly. Just as a woman may not teach men, neither may she lead men. For this reason, prayers are led by men in a mixed Bible study, although women join in the discussion.

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Some try to justify women participating in "chain" prayers in a mixed group by claiming that each one is just saying his own private prayer, and is not leading the others. According to Jesus, however, private prayers should be said in private: "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:6). According to Paul, group prayers should be understandable, so all can say "amen" (1 Corinthians 14:15,16). The thoughts of the group are being led by the one saying the prayer. Thus, outside the assembly as well, the prayers of a mixed group must be led by men.

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All of the passages in which restrictions are placed on women are in a domestic or religious context. Paul tells Timothy he is writing these things "so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of Yahweh, which is the church of the living Elohim" (1 Timothy 3:14, 15). Thus it would be extending these prohibitions beyond the context to claim that women may not have leadership roles in business or politics.

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At the other extreme, some limit the application of 1 Timothy 2:12, "And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man," to the assembly. The house of Elohim is not a building or a meeting place, however, but is Elohim's family, Elohim's people. Most of what the church does is done from day to day as the living body of Christ. Preaching and teaching are done outside the assembly. Prayers are led outside the assembly. Religious authority is exercised outside the assembly. Thus the restriction that women are not to teach or exercise authority over men also applies to the work of the church and religious activities in general and not just to the assembly.

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When a church has elders, decisions are of course made by the elders who are men. When a church does not have elders, since women are not to exercise authority over men, decisions must be made by the men of the congregation.

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Man's leadership is compared to Yahushua's leadership.

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This applies both in the home and in the church.

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"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22).

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To the church at Corinth, where some women were rebellious, Paul wrote: "But I want you to know that the head of every man is Yahushua is, the head of woman is man, and the head of Yahushua is Yahweh" (1 Corinthians 11:3).

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Man's leadership does not mean that he may be a tyrant. He himself is under the authority of Yahushua. His leadership must agree with the word of Elohim. He has no right to contradict Yahweh's word. In such a case Peter's explanation to the Jewish leaders would apply: "We ought to obey Yahweh rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

Some misuse these examples to invalidate the commandment that women must be silent in the assembly. It is never said, however, that women prophesied in the assembly. They who make that claim are not joining the Scriptures together, but are tearing the Scriptures apart! Several passages must be combined on the basis of what is stated. They may not be brought into conflict by adding something not stated. Since women are not to speak in the assembly and since women are not to teach men, their prophecy was limited to teaching women outside the assembly.

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Let us respect Yahweh's appointments.

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Yahweh has appointed the husband as head of the wife, and men as leaders in the church. As a consequence, women are not to teach men, are not to exercise authority over men, and are not to speak in the assembly. Decisions for the church are made either by the elders or, if there are none, by the men of congregation. Yahweh has appointed men as leaders in the home and in the church.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I don't think I've done a very good job of explaining submission. I had another full page written on it yesterday when my little guy accidentally jiggled the plug on my computer, so I lost everything. ~Smile~ Maybe it was for the best.~

A couple of sweet friends so kindly recommended that I share concrete examples of how I submit to my husband. And, you know, that is just the kind of writing I love to read by women. Concrete examples. So today I would like to share just that.

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Before I begin sharing concrete examples, however, I must explain that my heart changed toward my husband when I began to fall in love with Yahshua all over again. When I began to thirst for His Word and time alone with Him every day, I learned more about submission than I ever realized before. I learned that my eyes had to be on Yahshua. Not on my husband's faults, or lack of leadership, as I perceived he should be or should lead. And as I grew closer to Yahshua, I understood that intimacy with my husband was of the prime importance, after intimacy with Yahweh.~

Now this is the interesting part...as I fell in love with Yahshua again, so also, I fell deeply in love with my honey again. That wonderful, honeymoon love that Yahshua speaks about when He reminds the church in Ephesus just what they had lost:

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"Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." Revelation 2:4~

Marriage is a beautiful picture of that first love. My husband is my first love on this earth. I learned that submitting to him was building him up, supporting him, helping him, and in so doing, bringing much respect to him. How could I do this unless I knew his heart? So I set it up in our home that we might have time alone together. Early in the morning we have the most wonderful talks over coffee. I stopped sleeping in and got up first with Yahweh, and then I was ready with coffee for Art. This started six years ago when my children were 4 weeks old, 2 years old, 5 years old, and 8 years old. And it has continued to this morning.

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I asked Yahweh to help me love him as Elohim intended a wife to love her husband. I started to tell that man of mine two good things a day that I noticed about him. Words like these started to spill out of my mouth:~

"You are so good looking.""You are a good father.""I love the way you say, 'Son,' to those boys of yours.""You are like a fine wine aging just perfectly.""You bring such good to this family.""You are such a good provider.""We always have more than enough with you taking care of us.""You are so clever with your hands.""I know you can do it. You always do!""You are so generous.""I love to be with you."

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The more I practiced praising my husband, the more I saw him change. In the mean time, I worked on myself. For as I studied the Word of Yahweh concerning my job as a helpmeet, I realized that I could bring much respect and honor to my husband by my busy hands. Not my busy mouth. But my busy hands. And since I have a tendency to have a busy mouth, I had to take some drastic measures. I had to shut my phone down every morning. To this day. Why? Because the morning hours are my most productive hours. As the day wears on, I tend to get more fatigued. So it is best that I don't talk to anyone but my children in the morning, and instead get my hands busy, busy, busy.~

How? Concretely...~Smile~...I started to learn how to better run my home. I began to cook more from scratch, which stretched my husband's income, and brought him much delight. I began to study ways to use our money wisely, and essentially became his financial advisor. This week we will sign a loan reducing our house payment considerably as I sought out the best loan rate for us. I have done likewise research to get us the lowest car insurance. I use a savings plan for our electricity, reducing my heavy usage to the morning hours. I learned how to do our taxes, that we might save there. I learned how to cut our family's hair, that we might save there. I learned how to teach our children that we might give them a private Christian education at a fraction of the cost. I learned to do a lot of writing rather than long distance calling. I learned how to make my home look "country- cozy" at minimal cost from bargain shopping at thrift shops, garage sales, and swap meets. I learned to prepare ahead for my family that I might laugh along with the Proverbs 31 woman at the future. So in the summer, I think winter. And in the winter, I think summer. I learned to shop more wisely with that kind of thinking and preparation.

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Presently I am studying herbs and learning to cook with honey and freshly ground wheat. For I have found that my job in the kitchen is so very important to this family's health. Since I began cooking healthier and learning to use herbs, we have not seen a doctor as much as we use to. I am also practicing, every now and then, a little sewing, some gardening, and some canning. My desires are to learn to knit and crochet better in the future. I would also like to learn how to quilt and make rugs. Oh, there's so much to look forward to!~

For a well run, cozy home, well trained and taught children, good cooking, orderly clothing, and the income stretched to its fullest fruitfulness, brings honor to my husband. And how I have fallen in love with him and want to do just that. For I have fallen in love with Yahweh, and now realize the far reaching effects for Yahweh just such a home has on the many loved ones it touches.

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Have I fully achieved such a home yet? No, but it is getting better and better the more I practice at it. Sometimes I get discouraged by my struggle with procrastination and disorganization from so many years of bad habits. Then I remember from where I've come. I use to spend hours on the phone talking to my friends, an hour and a half in front of the television watching soap operas, hours reading romance novels late into the night, and countless hours at the mall and other stores . I don't do any of those things anymore. Yahweh has replaced them with so much more, and has blessedly taken the junk out of my mind. He has replaced it instead with His beautiful Word.~

He has been my strength and my song all along. Now when my husband comes home he sees a much more peaceful woman. Praise music is in the background, for this keeps my focus on YAHSHUA all day. Something good has been cooking, or is cooked. His children have been taught, especially in Elohim's Word; so they are different children, as I am a different woman. Our home, to my husband, is one of the most peaceful places on earth. He says he longs to get here after a day at work.

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That, to me, is the essence of submission. It is peace in practice. It is a woman (the heart of the home) loving a man (the head of the home) as Yahweh intended. It is Proverbs 31 being played out day after day. For in Proverbs 31 the "law of kindness" is on her mouth, while her hands are very, very busy doing good for her family. And a "gentle and quiet spirit are precious in His sight." For if one "controls the tongue, one can bridle the entire body."~

It is Mary saying to Gabriel the angel, "Behold the bondslave of Yahweh. Let it be done to me according to your word."

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A bondslave of Yahweh. This is a woman you want to emulate. This is a woman you want to know. A woman who treasures and ponders Yahweh's Word in her heart. She is not anxious or upset about many things, that is why Yahweh put His Son with her for thirty years. She is favored because of her complete devotion to Yahweh and the desire to make herself a slave to His Will. For His great glory. Not a lot of questions about how He was going to do all this through her, rather a gentle and quiet trust in Him.~

When a woman will quietly trust Yahweh like this and build up her husband, thus building up her home, she will practice "winning him without a word" to The Word, as described in 1 Peter 3. Then he will observe "her chaste conduct accompanied by fear." For the "fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;" and this woman is personifying that very wisdom in her home.

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Concretely, what can happen? Well, I can only speak from my own home. I now see my husband studying the Word of Yahweh and leading our family as Elohim intended. I now see my junior higher reading his Bible every night, on his own initiative. I now see my high schooler reading his Bible also every night, on his own initiative. Why? Well, it all started years ago when I decided to take Yahweh at His Word in 1 Peter 3:1-2 and quiet my heart each morning alone with Yahshua; lay my life down as His bondslave; get my mouth praising and my hands busy; and start building my home as so beautifully described in Proverbs 31. My husband said that my changed life drew him to the Word. And my high schooler said that he wanted to commit to reading Yahweh's Word each day as I had. My junior higher wanted to be like his brother. It is truly Yahweh's incredible work.~

That is why I point to the submission of the Messiah to The Father when I speak about submission to women. And the godly submission of the church to the Messiah. This is our perfect definition of submission as wives under our husbands. This godly action is what draws others to our beautiful Yahweh. Can I do it on my own? No. That is why I need to be alone with my beautiful Yahweh and Savior every day. I need to know Him and say with Paul, "I count it all a loss at the surpassing value of knowing Yahshua the Messiah my Yahweh." Because then I will understand what it means to submit to Him, and... to him.

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For knowing my husband's mind is very important in submitting to him. I found that I could know his mind just the way that I did when I was dating him. How? From lots and lots of conversation together. Communication is the first thing the enemy tries to crush during war time. It is also the first thing our enemy tries to crush in a marriage. To build communication in my marriage I got up early to be alone with him. I stayed up late to wait for him. I made the afternoons special by having tea ready for him when he came home from work. I knew his mind after spending so much time with him. A concrete example is that I knew he liked me home when he came home from work. So I stopped going anywhere that prevented me from being home then on a regular basis. Yahweh has rewarded me far more than I have given up. My husband and I are closer than we were when we first got married. But the best part, oh, the very best part, is we are closer to Yahshua.

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Submission works. It is the concrete in a marriage.~Thank you for the Letter.

My Shelfari Bookshelf

My New Favorite Poem

The Wreckers of Homes

The Prince of the legions of darkness was sitting ensconced on his teetering throne,Awaiting an army of specialized demons whose job was the wrecking of homes.They were due to report on the war they had waged, and soon they came canteringhither;From the four winds they came, the demons and imps, from yon and afar and fromthither.“Report!” barked the Prince. One by one they came forward-and told of the homesthey had wrecked, wantonly, shamelessly splitting them up with a pitiless,morbid effect.“I drove the wedges,” said Jealousy slyly, a shriveled black imp with a glare,“I invaded their thoughts with satanical skill. It’s a cinch when I break up a pair.”: Oh, yeah!” sneered Mistrust, “I am far more effective. I sit on their shoulders andwhisper.I perch there, for instance, and say to the wife, “He’s a teller of tales, is your mister.”Next I say he’s a liar, then say he’s unfaithful, then I say: “You just watch him a bit,”And before very long she sees all kinds of things, And I prod her to tell him ‘I quit.’”“Ha! You are not half as successful as I!” Infidelity said with a grin,“You are merely a Doubt, but I am The Deed, I’ve got medals to prove that I win.”“Ho, ho!” laughed Old Alcohol, veteran demon, “You’d seldom have won but for me!I take special delight in breaking up homes,” he chuckled with hideous glee.Up piped an imp, Carnal Courtship by name, “If it were not for me...” (and he cackled)“If I had not got them all started off wrong, you big shots would feel mightyshackled.”Boredom and Laziness, Incident Nagger and Cruelty all took their turn.Spite made a hit, and Hatred another, with tales that would make your ears burn.“Did you get them ALL?” roared the Prince from his throne. They were allshamefaced, and suddenly still. They shriveled in silence and trembled withterror, appearing dejected and ill.“Report!” the Prince thundered. “What have you to say?” One quivered, “You simplydon’t knowWhat it’s like in some homes. We are demons of darkness and simply can’t getthrough The Glow.”“What glow?” screamed the Ruler. “We don’t know just what,” said the imp with atremulous grin,For one thing, they start off the day with a prayer – and that kind, well, it’s hard to getin.”“Pshaw!” said the Prince. “It is true,” countered jealousy. “O you don’t know howI’ve tried.I have pounded their ears. I have battered their brains, but I had to get out e’re I died.The moment I come to the husband or wife they call on the One – you know Who –And He comes, and I haven’t a chance in the world! In that case, Prince, just whatwould you do?”“And I, sir,” said Hatred, “have neither a chance, not a ghost of a chance I say,When a fool keeps whispering to his wife, ‘I love you more every day!’”“You can’t say that I haven’t tried,” pouted anger. “Sometimes I’ll even get in;And just when I think I am winning the battle, they jump up and call me a sin.”“I,” said Old Laziness, lolling around, “If Hatred can’t do it, why bother!For with Love in the way, those husbands and wives do nothing but slave for eachother.”“And I,” mumbled Boredom, “I know Who’s at fault, it’s that FOE Who again isalive!They sing about Him and they talk about Him, and I haven’t a chance to survive.”Carnal Courtship crouched low so the prince of the ranks would forget that he evenwas there.He spied him in spite of it. “Carnal,” Prince roared, “Why did you not tempt everypair?”“I tried!” quivered Carnal, “but what can you do? Some won’t even bite. Somerepent,And the Enemy comes and He chases you out; and, sir, when HE sends, you areSENT!”“Are there many homes left where we haven’t a foothold?” the prince of thespecialists queried.“Quite a few,” sighed the imps. “They are simply impervious. They have left us allweakened and wearied. Those marriages last, O twenty-five years! It’s acinch that they last for life.They get harder and harder and harder to wreck – those homes where the husband andwifeHave Yahushua at the head, and they all pray together, are submissive and loving and true:And frankly, we’ll tell you, to break up that kind is more than we demons can do!”